Search - Youth of Today :: Youth of Today

YOT's "Salad Days"

Michael B. Holmes | Chicago, IL United States | 12/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The last effort from the band that personified NYHC and Straight Edge in the late 80's, this EP has a lot in common with the swan song released by their forefathers (and personification of HC and SE in the early 80's), Minor Threat.Where MT's "Salad Days" was a disappointed and embittered last look at the end of an era in hardcore punk, so too is YOT's final EP a bittersweet final serving.At the time this was recorded, Ray and Porcell were getting further and further into the Hare Krsna religion, and Ray especially was wanting to devote himself to Krsna entirely. The three songs on this disc reflect this new point of view more explicitly than any YOT tracks had, heretofore. "Modern Love Story" and "Envy" are indictments of our culture's fascination with materialism and shallowness, while "Disengage" is a tacit kiss-off to American society as Ray slipped into being a full-time Krsna devotee.Where the themes of this disc have more in common with Ray's (and, later, Porcell's) next band Shelter, so too does the music shift. This is a much more tuneful and melodic outing for YOT, and the band proves itself capable of mastering this growth as they did their roots.I've never heard a bad YOT song (well, maybe the "Anarchy in the UK" cover...), and these three songs are a must to any fan of hardcore."

Ray cappo smashes thru again

Michael B. Holmes | 08/01/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"ray cappo smashes thru the walls again with the strait edge morality, too bad there aren't more songs & guess he has traded in his diamonds for broken glass, tell us more ray"